Frequency and timing stability of an airborne injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser system for direct-detection wind lidar

• DOI: 10.1364/ao.56.009057
• Publication Date: 2017-11-07T22:36:13Z
• Authors: Christian Lemmerz; Oliver Lux; Oliver Reitebuch; Benjamin Witschas; Christian Wührer
• Keywords: Pulse repetition frequency; Pulse duration

We report on the design and performance of laser deployed in airborne demonstrator Doppler wind lidar for Aeolus mission European Space Agency (ESA). The all-solid-state, diode-pumped frequency-tripled Nd:YAG is realized as a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system, generating 60 mJ single-frequency pulses at 355 nm wavelength, 50 Hz repetition rate 20 ns pulse duration. For measurement frequency shift over several accumulated shots, stability crucial importance. Injection-seeding, combination with an active cavity control based Ramp-Delay-Fire technique, provides pulse-to-pulse 0.25 MHz measured 1064 under laboratory conditions. This value increases to 0.31 operation vibration environment that has been characterized by multiple acceleration sensors during different flight In addition, pure Ramp-Fire setting was tested comparison leading 0.16 both ground. electronics also have provide trigger signal detection electronics, about μs prior expected emission high timing stability. An in-flight below 100 decreasing shorter pre-trigger time 10 μs.